Did you know that almost half of the children and teens you can meet on the AdoptUSKids website are part of sibling groups? Keeping siblings together in the child welfare system is crucial. Hear from three families as they share their stories of growing their families through sibling group adoptions.
Sibling bond supports adoption transition
Experienced adoptive and foster parents, Florida couple Joslyn and Jeremey, were asked to provide emergency placement for siblings Lauren, age 10, and Nelson, age 14. What began as emergency placement eventually turned into adoption. Throughout their transition from placement to adoption, the bond between the two siblings was clear to Joslyn and Jeremy—a bond which they encouraged. As Jeremey reflects, “They were very close, and they relied on each other a lot and looked to each other for support.”
Sisters complete this family of eight
When Mark, an educator and father of five boys in Illinois visited the AdoptUSKids website, he saw two sisters who were in need of permanency and thought “these 12 and 15 year-old girls could be my daughters.” Today, Mark reflects on bringing two daughters into his family of five sons: “I really love the added dimension that my daughters bring to our family. It’s one of these things where you look back and you can’t imagine what your life would be without the girls—without them in your family.”
Six siblings stick together
Tennessee couple, Jodi and Golden, were already the parents of two children. But the idea of adoption grew in their hearts. After taking in a sibling group of 6 children for a short emergency respite care, their bond grew into a permanent placement. As Jodi explains, “It’s not going to be all sunshine and rainbows, but kids just want to be part of something and loved. If you’ve got a loving and giving heart, it’s really not a hard task.”
